Nottinghamshire Seconds fell agonisingly short of victory in their Championship match against the MCC Universities, despite 5-29 from leg spinner Connor Marshall.

The visitors hung on though, thanks mostly to Hasan Azad’s 79 from the top of the order and time was called in the last hour at the end of the 116th over for the draw.

The MCCU resumed on their overnight total of 37-1 (10 overs), Azad 19 not out and Jack Grundy yet to score, with 360 runs required for the win at Lady Bay.

The visitors reached 50 in the 16th over with a boundary from Azad and it took until the last ball of the 36th over for Notts to take their second wicket.

A Marshall delivery prompted Grundy to edge to keeper Tom Keast, the score 90-2, and Tom Cullen joined Azad, who was on 45 at the time.

The MCCU’s hundred was attained from the first ball of the 43rd over and, at lunch, the score was 110-2, Azad 56 not out and Cullen on 8.

After the interval, Ben Kitt bowled Cullen for 22 (128-3) in the 54th over and Charles Lowen came to the middle.

The 150 came up in the 61st over with a maximum from Lowen (153-3) but the last ball of the 62nd had Lowen (28) caught at third slip by Kitt, who was trying to fend off a ball from Matt Milnes (172-4).

Basil Akram joined Azad and, early in the 70th over, Connor Marshall trapped Akram (21) lbw, the score 196-5, and Robert Sehmi (0) went the same way (196-6) a ball later.

Matthew Norris came in with Marshall on a hat-trick but he safely negotiated the remaining balls of the over and the 200 was reached in the 71st.

At tea the score was 212-6 with Azad on 79 and Norris on 12.

In the 81st over, Azad was adjudged lbw to Matt Carter, out for 79 (212-7), and Jack McIver joined Norris.

The new ball was taken after 84 overs and the MCCU achieved 250 in the 96th, but in the 100th McIver (20) was trapped lbw by Marshall, the score 260-8, Keon Harding striding to the crease.

In the 110th over Connor Marshall got his five-wicket haul when the scoreless Harding was dismissed (265-9), with last man Bobby Gamble joining Norris.

The last hour was fast ticking away and time was called at the end of the 116th over, the MCCU holding out for the draw, 270-9 at the finish with Norris 33 not out and Gamble on 1.  

 

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